Somebody
by DMarEssence
Summary: Embry Call begins to feel out of place as the last members of the pack begin to imprint. Will the discovery of a mysterious locket be the means to the end, or a whole new beginning? Embry/OC Two part story, post BD.
1. Chapter 1

Hello readers! Long time, no contact. Anyways, I decided to actually turn one of my nutty ideas into reality (although my perception is skewed after seeing Inception). Came up with this on an airplane, decided to run with it. Sorta a song-fic, but not really… hope you enjoy and please review.

PS: Eclipse was awesome, saw it the day it came out…. It rocked.

PPS: I don't normally do disclaimers… but obviously, the only creation of my own is Kylah. Also, the song is Gotta be Somebody, by Nickelback

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_.._

_._

"'_**Cause nobody wants to be the last one there  
'Cause everyone wants to feel like someone cares  
Someone to love, put my life in their hands  
There's gotta be somebody for me like that…"**_

The radio from down the beach was the only sound pounding in Embry's head, and truth be told, it made him even sicker. He knew his limits- knew what Sam and Jake would say when they felt his raging hangover after he phased… but he didn't care.

Seth had imprinted. _Seth. _Jake too, and Paul, Jared, Quil, Sam… it wasn't funny anymore. Loneliness overcame him on a regular basis, though normally his nights didn't end with him puking beside a park bench. He often came out to the beach and wound up staring out over the ocean, hoping his soul-mate would sail up in some grand cliché and they'd live happily ever after.

But it was just a dream. A good dream, but a dream nonetheless.

Oh God. Alcohol poisoning was a bitch, Embry cursed as he heaved again, gripping the wooden bench for support. His hand met with cool, slick metal however, and slid right to the ground with something clasped in it.

Wiping his mouth with the back of his hand, Embry finally got to his feet and glanced down at the object now clenched in his fist. A heart-shaped locket, bound on a solid, strong chain. Nothing fancy, but… who did it belong to?

Embry stole a glance at the party goers down the shore with the radio still blasting. Could it belong to them? He hesitated however. He didn't have enough in him to go down and explain himself, or even make himself presentable, for that matter.

Finder's keepers.

Rinsing his mouth out with the remnants in his PBR can, Embry sat in his car and, with the locket still clenched in his fist, leaned his head back against the seat and fell into a deep, careless sleep.

* * *

"What the hell were you thinking?" Jake demanded as Embry stumbled through the forest for border patrol the next morning.

"It's nothing. Leave it," Embry growled, squeezing his eyes shut to still his pounding skull and stifle the sound of Jacob Black's loud, pissed berating.

"Like hell I'll leave it! Those royal blood suckers visited Forks three times in the last year and a half, and you stumble around drunk like it doesn't even matter? Some of us have people who need protecting-"

"Will you just shut the fuck up? I have my own problems, alright?" Embry knew it was a weak defense, but it was all he had. If he had his say, he'd be at home, in bed, wallowing in his own misery.

"Hey! Knock it off._ Both _of you," Sam ordered as he made his way over the hill and into the clearing.

"He started it," Embry grumbled, pulling his shirt over his head and preparing to phase.

"Well I'll sure as hell finish it. Put your shirt back on. I'm not letting you go around in that condition."

The pack was silent as Embry froze at the command. Was he being… laid off?

"No patrol, not today. The rest of you, head out and take your quadrants." Sam met Jake's narrowed gaze and gave him the nod to take off. Now he faced Embry, who stood squared off against him with his hands in his jean pockets. The one thing the alpha noticed in particular was the silvery chain dangling around the young wolf's neck and down into his grimy, second day t-shirt.

"What's the matter with you?" Sam barked, getting to the point. The one thing he made sure to enforce was good, clean behavior in his entire pack, and lately, he noticed Embry letting himself slide. But it wasn't just about the pack's safety. Sam was the alpha, and it was his job to keep all his pups from getting into trouble. They were his responsibility, and from what he'd read in Embry's mind, the kid's life was coming off the rails.

"Your mom says you're out all night, boozing, bad grades, no job-" Sam began a little easier this time before he was cut off harshly by Embry's interjection.

"Talking to my mom? What the hell-"

"She's worried about you. The whole pack is-"

"Well not everyone can have a huge family that loves and looks out for them-"

"You do have a family. The pack. And we're _all _worried about you." Sam walked toward Embry who stood coldly with his shoulder to Sam's approach. The alpha however, would not be put off. He placed a comforting hand on the younger wolf's shoulder and let out a sigh.

"We all get a little confused sometimes. You haven't found your imprint yet. So what? She'll find you, so don't worry." This time, Embry received a firm clap on the back and a comforting smile. One that made him feel like all hope was not lost. Embry's hand absent-mindedly went to the locket around his neck, and he grasped it beneath his shirt for reassurance as Sam left him to his own devices for the day.

* * *

For once, in a long time, Embry didn't feel like shit… that is, until Jake approached him on his way home. Once more, the whole pack was there to witness the confrontation.

_Just perfect,_ Embry muttered as Jake crossed his arms and seemed to be sizing him up. They were best friends in high school, but Jacob had become all encompassing as the new alpha, and eventually, Embry had become just another grunt in the pack.

"You know, Sam might've been okay with your little stunt back there, but I'm not letting you get away with it," Jake growled, his arms shaking in anger as he siphoned off another phase while he spoke his mind.

Embry did not want to fight. He knew especially that Jake got like this after a fight with Bella, so he expected the worse.

And he was right. As an alpha, Jake was bigger, and stronger than Embry on every front, so it was almost better not to phase, or so he thought before the enormous russet wolf was standing before him.

"Shit!"

Embry heard the word called out from one of the wolves on the sidelines just as Jake came at him. The rock hard skull of the charging wolf smashed into Embry's left shoulder like a freight train out of hell. After that, three other wolves joined the fray, and double teamed Jake- backing him down from his tirade until Embry was left sprawling on the gravel road up to his car. It was right where he left it at the beach.

The pain was bad, but Embry couldn't bring himself to hold it against Jake, even though he'd caught him off guard, and in human form. Cheap, but forgivable.

"Holy shit Em, you okay?" Quil Alteara's shadow fell over Embry as he lay on the ground, defenseless, and a little dazed. His shoulder hurt like hell… and he probably needed a sling.

"Yup, just fine," he wheezed, pulling himself to his feet and cradling his arm.

"I'd get that looked at man-"

"Its fine," Embry interrupted, making his way slowly to his car. The sun setting over the beach cast a harsh glare onto the hood as he climbed in the driver's seat and sat staring once more at the ocean. His fingers unconsciously twisted the locket chain against his skin as he revved up the engine. His eyes wandered out over the horizon and his thoughts drifted back inevitably to his mystery imprint.

_Now would be a great time for you to show up… whoever you are._

"_**This time, I wonder what it feels like  
To find the one in this life: the one we all dream of  
But dreams just aren't enough-"**_

That damn song. Again. Embry's good hand shot out and turned the radio off in one swift motion as he pulled into the parking lot of the Masi Shop. He wasn't going to drink anything _now, _but he might need a stiff one for later. Now that his arm was in a sling, he'd be set for a few hours, and he planned to spend them in his favorite spot.

When Embry came back out of the store with his fake ID between his fingers, he noticed that his car had been hit from behind. No information on the windshield, just a big dent in the side over the rear right tire. Swell. That's what underage drinking gets you. Bad karma, and a lonely night.

He'd go easier this time however. He didn't want another wringing out in the morning, plus he'd probably have double shifts if Jake had anything to say about it… which he did.

A tap on the driver's side window caused Embry to freeze with the beer can still in his hand. He jolted up in his seat as the police officer now standing outside his car gestured for him to roll down the window.

"What can I do for you officer?" Embry asked, trying to sound inconspicuous, but failing miserably. He was drunk, and he was not getting away this time.

Embry rested his head, defeated, on the steering wheel when the policeman told him he'd be brought up on MIP, DWI, along with an array of charges relating to his crime. Embry stayed idle, somehow mustering the most pathetic face the cop had ever seen, and earning enough pity for a bargaining chip.

"Crime doesn't pay kid," the officer began, noting Embry's injury, but trying to shake the compassion from his voice.

"Please officer. There's gotta be something I can do. I _swear _to you, if you give me this one chance, you'll never find me out here again."

Perhaps fate did have a heart.

"Look," the man started, looking around for witnesses. Once he'd scanned the scene, he leveled with Embry. "One night in the holding cell, and you're record will be clean, but if you slip up, all this comes back, got it?"

Embry prayed. He prayed and prayed and thanked God there was an angel watching out for him at that moment. He left his car at the beach and rode with the officer to the county office, then found himself locked up for 24 hours in a 12 by 20 room filled with drunks, like himself. He sighed and counted down the minutes to his release.

* * *

"One phone call, kid," the same officer informed him the next evening, handing him two quarters and leading him to the payphone. Although his phone call yielded him a ride, it didn't inspire much confidence as to the consequences to follow.

"Prison now, huh?" Sam began as he drove the troubled teen to the beach to pick up his car. The drive was full of heated silence. "That's why you missed your rounds? Jesus, Embry."

Embry remained silent, picking at the loose threads on the sling and watching the sun set once more. One thing he knew was that he was never, _ever _going to be in one of those cells again, but he really didn't have the foresight, or the courage to tell Sam that.

He was merely alone.

Sam sped away in silence, leaving Embry in a cloud of dust on the shore in the darkness. In one day (well, actually two) he'd gotten the entire pack to hate him, wrecked his car, messed up his shoulder, and gone to jail. Was this some kind of sick joke?

_Ever since I found this damn necklace… nothing's been going right,_ Embry reminisced, pulling the locket out and squeezing it until his knuckles turned white. He knew he shouldn't have been blaming the necklace for his own mistakes, but sometimes denial was all there was to keep him sane.

He remembered, however, when he'd been in holding without the stupid thing… and it had felt like he was missing something all day- an indescribable restlessness and misery that only came with losing something very precious. He scoffed at his own memory. It must've been the alcohol.

"Well, time to pass on the misery," Embry decided, fisting up the chain in one hand and tossing it out into the sand. The echoes of a certain melody flooded the shore from the same campfire radio.

"_**You can't give up, looking for a diamond in the rough  
You never know when it shows up, make sure your holding on  
'Cause it could be the one, the one you're waiting on-"**_

The waves lapped over the charm until finally, Embry couldn't take it any longer. He lurched to his feet and dug the locket right out of the sand until he once again closed his hand over the familiar metal. It _was _familiar… somehow.

"Oh my God! You found it!" Embry turned his head to see the silhouette of a young woman racing barefoot through the sand towards him.

Embry's heart wanted to sing. That voice. He wanted more of it. Even before she was beside him, Embry had memorized every detail of her face and body through the darkness: small physique, wavy, light brown hair with just a few freckles on her delicate skin, green eyes that held his gaze and opened a door to his future.

"Hey, you alright?" She asked once more, noticing his peculiar staring.

"Y-yeah, no, I mean, I'm fine," he stumbled, feeling her warm touch as she took the locket from his hands and tried to fasten it around her own neck. Her long hair was swept one way over her shoulder. "Here, let me help." Embry's hands worked the clasp, securing it around her neck- whoever _she _was.

"I'm Kylah by the way. I can't tell you what a lifesaver you are! This thing means the world to me. Gift from my grandma, you know? Plus it's always brought me good luck," Kylah rambled, turning the locket in her fingers and looking up into Embry's complacent gaze.

Embry didn't know exactly how imprinting worked, but he could only suppose his significant other would feel the pull of his heart strings. The way she looked at him, the way time froze when she smiled in that moment-

"I know this sounds strange but… I definitely know you," she began, wringing her hands before jerking her head up to speak once more. Embry laughed, already noticing the height distance between them. It was just one of those things to note about her. "Well whatever, so, if you can still stand me after this conversation, do you want to get a cup of coffee or something tomorrow? I mean, like, to pay you back for finding my necklace? It was a one in a million chance you would find it and you did, so I guess that deserves a reward, right?"

Kylah was nervous. What in the heck had this guy, this guy who she didn't even know the name of, inspired in her? He was handsome; dark skin and hair, kind, deep brown eyes, strong…

"You don't have to say anything now, because I know that was really forward of me and-"

"Sure. 10 o' clock tomorrow at the place downtown." Embry could hardly bear to turn away from her to get in his car, but he knew if she was any other girl, he couldn't look too desperate… even if he was bursting at the seams to be with her. She was his soul mate after all.

* * *

"Have I grown two heads or something? You keep staring at me," Kylah laughed nervously at the undivided attention her date seemed to be giving her. But for some reason, it didn't particularly bother her. As a matter of fact, she liked the attention.

_Damn. I just met this guy yesterday and already I'm gaga for him! Should I ask for his number? Should we meet up again? Does he even live around here? What if this was a one time thing? What if he has a girlfriend?_

"Hey, anybody home?" Embry waved his hand in front of the dazed face of the girl seated across from him at the coffee house. The first thing he noticed when they were seated however was that she wasn't drinking coffee.

"I don't like the stuff personally, but it's not like I was going to ask you to come get tea with me, right?" Once more, she'd laughed like a nervous wreck at her own joke.

_Doesn't like coffee. I'll have to remember that. _

"Now you're the one zoning out," Kylah said, suddenly snapping Embry back to attention.

"Yeah, I guess I'm just a little tired today," Embry coughed, trying to hide the fact that he'd actually been up all night, counting the seconds until they would meet again. He couldn't wait to tell the pack.

"Well," Kylah began as she drained her cup, her bangles and other various bracelets making a clanging sound as she rested her hand on the table. "I don't know if this is weird, but maybe we can hang out again sometime? You don't have to tell me now, I'll just leave my number on the table and you can call me… or not." She added hastily, scrabbling in her purse for a pen and scrawling her number down on one of the brown napkins.

"I'd like that."

"Huh?" Kylah looked up suddenly from her writing and Embry locked with her confused gaze.

"No, I was just saying: I'd _like _to hang out again." A bright blush spread across Kylah's petite nose and she fiddled with the pen in her fingers as she spoke.

"Oh, okay, yeah, it's just that I haven't really had good luck with guys… whoa, TMI for you, sorry, it's just that I go on and on when I talk and I'm a little strange-"

"That's okay! A little strange is _good _for me," Embry consoled her, smiling at the idea of _her _being strange.

_Yeah, you'll need an open mind to get to know me. The WHOLE me, fur, fangs and all._

Embry smiled as Kylah got up and pushed her chair in. The silver locket swung from her neck with her movement before settling back once more against her chest. It seemed like yesterday's nightmare had turned into a beautiful dream, and now that the damnable locket was back where it belonged, all was right with the world. HIS world.

He watched her with sheer adoration as she walked away, and as her car became a speck in the distance.

Now he had some other things to take care of.

The pack was probably going to kill him.

But he'd found his imprint, and that was all that mattered.

He parked his car at Sam's house and waved hello to Emily before heading out into the woods to meet his uncertain fate. Unfortunately, the first face he ran into was Jake's. Embry approached him with caution, not quite being able to read what mood the alpha was in. Surprisingly, Jake merely shuffled his feet in the dirt and waited for his pack-mate's approach.

"Hey," Jake began, averting his gaze from Embry's and sticking his hands in the pockets of his tattered jeans. Embry remained alert, but the tension eased from his shoulders when he realized that Jake wasn't there to start a fight.

"Hey…" Embry returned, licking his lips and waiting for the awkward silence to pass. To his dismay, it remained momentarily before the other wolf took in a deep breath and began to speak.

"So... about the other day, I'm sor-"

"Don't sweat it, I'm over it," Embry interrupted. Yeah, so Jacob dislocated his shoulder. They were still pack-mates. Still family. Jacob however looked confused by the brush off.

"You seem pretty happy about the whole… wait a sec-" Jake began before noticing the smile that spread across his friend's face. No wonder the guy was so happy. He'd found _her. _"No way! What's she like? How'd it happen?" Before he knew it, Embry was encased in an iron bear hug, with a slightly dislocated shoulder.

"Ow, ow, man, you're crushing me!" Immediately Jake's arms dropped. "Whew, that's better."

Once more, Embry's face lit up as he began to recall the past day's events… even the part about going to jail. Jake only nodded and listened. He remembered when he first set eyes on Renesmee. It was a feeling like no other, even if she was only a month old at the time.

"When can I meet her?" Jake pried, giving Embry a soft jab in the healthy shoulder.

"Uhhhh, not yet." Embry couldn't really think of anything else to say. Fear gripped him upon the utterance of the words as reality set in. What if she didn't really like him? What if after their second date, she decided not to see him again? He almost wished his imprint was a baby like Claire, Quil's imprint, and Nessie.

Jacob Black however, noticed his hesitation.

"Don't even think it. You're soul mates, remember? She'll want to be with you, just as much as you want to be with her. Just don't screw it up, okay?"

Embry gulped as the two wolves phased and began their patrol.

* * *

Two days quickly turned into two weeks, and two months. And in those two months Embry had learned that Kylah, Kylah Potter, was right handed, had green eyes, hated her wavy hair, loved denim purses, drank English breakfast tea in a thermos nearly every morning, and she loved working at her parent's campground just a few miles outside of Forks. Yes, he'd met the parents and they seemed fond of him, which was quite the stroke of luck in and of itself.

_Thank God._ Embry sighed as he pulled up in Kylah's drive way, shifting his spare change of clothes for after his _shift _into the backseat so she could take shotgun.

"Hey, you're early," she remarked as she climbed up into the truck and slung her backpack down on the floorboards.

"Yeah, well I thought it'd be a good idea to actually get you there on time for once," Embry laughed as they took off for school.

In the time they'd spent together, Embry and Kylah had gotten unusually close, unusually fast. Kylah had never really gone steady with any boy, let alone one as dark and mysterious (and handsome) as Embry, so her parents found it a little suspicious that he'd chosen a girl that didn't even go to his school. But as long as Kai seemed happy, and arrived on time for curfew at one a.m. they didn't complain.

"Wanna hang out after school on the Rez? Me and the guys are gonna stoke up the bonfire later, so you're welcome to join," Embry offered, tapping his fingers on the dashboard as they waited for the light to change at the intersection.

"My parents are freaking out because of my midterms, so maybe I'll just catch you at the bonfire? Besides, it's freezing cold out there!" Kylah glanced over at him, her green eyes filled with sincerity and guilt. She hated turning down his invitations, but her parents were pretty strict.

"Yeah, yeah, sure. Pick you up at eight?"

"Nah, I'll drive myself. Why? You don't want me driving around by myself at night?" she joked, giving him a sly smile as the car pulled up at the front of her school.

"It's just all the wolves that hang around the reservation. There as big as bears, you know," Embry smiled back, however, his expression dropped when he noticed Kylah's wide, petrified gaze.

"I'm terrified of wolves. Open water, and wolves. I just have this nightmare about a huge pack surrounding me in the woods and… whatever. I'll see you later 'kay?" She leaned in and gave him a peck on the lips before she slammed the door shut and rushed off for her first period class.

The force of the door and of the cataclysmic revelation of her fear of wolves had Embry reeling on the drive back with a nervous headache. Okay, that was a major set-back. Once more, his heartbeat raced and fear gripped him. What if she didn't accept him? When was he going to tell her about him? All the other wolf girls had been close enough to the pack to learn right away… what was he going to do?

_No outsiders can learn our secret._ He heard Sam's mantra repeating in his head and he held his breath, trying to calm himself down. Sure, they all knew about Kylah and kept quiet about their secret while she was around, but now what? Would Sam not allow him to tell her for the sake of the pack? How would he live like that when they got married and had kids and he wandered off every night for patrols?

"_Aren't you getting a little ahead of yourself?" _Jake asked while on patrol with Embry and the rest of the pack that evening.

"_You don't get it! She hates wolves! And-" _Once again, Jake interrupted.

"_Listen. Everything will be fine. You just have to pick the right moment, got it? Sam's cool with it." _Embry stole a glance at the other alpha as they ran in formation, only to see the black wolf nod his head with a jerk and give a bark of approval.

Okay. One hurdle down, now… the hard part.

…

..

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	2. Chapter 2

Part two in this two part saga shall now commence. Enjoy, and please review!

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"It is freezing out here! How can you guys not have shirts on?" Kai shivered as the wolf men and their ladies sat around the bonfire on the Quileute beach that night. She remembered the view well, considering it was near where she'd first met Embry. He looked down at her in that moment, as if he knew what she was recalling. He couldn't help but smile. For better or for worse, they were meant for each other.

"Here, let me help," he offered, unzipping her jacket and sliding his warm arms inside and pulling her close. She felt the sweltering heat his body was giving off, and merely relaxed into it.

"Thanks Em."

All the wolves shared knowing looks. It was hard for all of them to be together like this and not talk about the day's patrols or news with other vampire clans etc, but they understood. Embry would tell her in his own time, or so they hoped.

"It's getting late. Wanna head back to the house?" Embry whispered to her, his warm breath grazing the shell of her ear and causing her to shiver.

"Yeah, and I have to get my car," she added, breaking her close proximity with Embry and making her way quickly towards the dark woods.

"Where's the fire?" Embry laughed as he took her hand gently and entwined his heated fingers with her frigid ones. She really was cold. The darkness of the forest swallowed the light from the beach and made the chill of the night all the more prominent.

"No fire, I just… okay, so I said I was afraid of open water and wolves, but I'm also afraid of the dark, and I've seen what can happen when the right combination of nature's forces meet and-" Kylah gasped as Embry spun her to him and quieted her rant with a kiss. It wasn't the first one they shared, but it was certainly different from all the rest.

His lips were warm and sweet as they parted against her mouth, allowing his tongue to just barely taste her. He was reassured however, when he felt her fingers tighten in his grip and her free hand move up the back of his neck, pulling him closer.

She was still craning her neck for the contact, but her eyes were closed in relaxation as Embry finally let his tongue slide into the cavern of her mouth. She sucked on it gently, getting accustomed to the strange sensation it caused in the pit of her stomach until she broke away for air, her hard breathing visible in the puffs of steam that hung in the cold night.

"Wow," Embry whispered, more to himself than anyone else, but Kai wasn't far behind in her approval.

"Kiss me again," she ordered softly, as she reached up once more to seal their lips, however this time, Embry let his mouth graze hers for just a moment. He knew that she wanted to be closer to him, but he didn't want to rush her, not here, in the middle of the-

"_What was that?" _Kylah jumped as the howl of a familiar alpha penetrated the silence of the forest. She clung with an iron grip to Embry's arm and hurried him forward until the lights of the house were in view over the hill. Even then, she didn't slow, not until they were on Embry's porch, in the house and on the couch.

"Hey, hey, it's okay!" Embry reassured her, stroking her hair that had become slightly frizzy under the stress of the run back.

"I know, I know! I know it's stupid, but I've seen what wolves can do, alright?"

"What happened?" Embry looked at her seriously until she finally acquiesced. Once Kylah's breathing had returned to normal, she shook off the chill that had settled and began to wring her hands, the words pouring out of her in a nervous stream.

"So I grew up in a campground, around hikers, and backpackers and tourists and all those kind of people. I even met a guy who'd climbed Mt. Everest (he wasn't very nice though, come to think of it). Anyway, when I was eleven, one of the campers didn't return from his hike, and his cabin was empty for a week, so naturally, we called the police and started a search party.

"When we found the body…" Kylah trailed off and swallowed hard. "I'd never seen anyone dead before, and he was… shredded apart, like he'd been put in a blender, and all around, there were wolves and growling and just-" She shivered once more before standing up and slapping her thighs.

"And that's it, that's the reason," she finished, pacing the room once before heading into the kitchen.

Embry remained in his seat. Yeah, hurdle number two was looking trickier by the minute. How was he going to tell her now? Was he going to show her? Tell her? Let her stumble on it accidentally? Maybe he could have someone talk to her for him, like Emily or Leah (ok, not Leah) or Bella-

"Tea?" Kylah offered from the kitchen, turning on the stove and waiting for the water to heat up.

"No, I'm good." Kylah looked up from her frantic haze and noticed that her boyfriend had become suspiciously tacit all of a sudden.

"I knew it," she admitted, placing her banlged hands on her hips and staring him down.

"Knew… what?"

"The first time I told you I was afraid of wolves, you looked at me like I was joking or crazy! Clearly, you had this completely opposite experience with them, where, oh, I don't know, they rescued you from an avalanche or something-"

"Would you like to meet one?"

Embry nearly punched himself in the face as the words slipped out. _Please say no, please say no, please, please…_

"What are you talking about? Meet a wolf? Yeah, like that's gonna happen. Are they your buddies or something?" Kylah let out a laugh as she poured the boiling water into her mug and returned to the living room sofa.

He noticed she was still confused about his comment, and he really couldn't explain himself, unless the cat… or the wolf, came out of the bag.

"I know it's weird, but it's really important that you… trust me."

"I do trust you." Kylah set the mug down and turned to the tall dark-skinned man beside her, placing her hand on his thigh and leaning up to kiss him. Embry saw in her emerald eyes that she did bare the trust she claimed, but he also knew she had no idea of the magnitude of trust that would be required for what lay ahead, and he pulled away from her touch.

"Listen, please, just come with me to the mountains tomorrow. I know it sounds crazy, but just trust me."

The emotions flying through Kai's mind were making her head hurt. Confusion, love, fear, all mixed into one furious melting pot inside her, but she knew what was coming, and she was ready, ready for him.

"I do."

* * *

"Jake, I can't thank you enough-"

"Yeah, yeah, it's because I'm the tame one."

The morning following the bonfire, Kylah had agreed to skip out of work at the campground early and meet Embry for a hike into the mountains to face her fears, and now, Embry had to bring his plan into action.

"No, Seth is the tame one, but he's in Portland on vacation, so you'll have to do," Embry jibed, nudging Jake, who was just about ready to phase, in the ribs as they headed off to meet Kai.

"This is some crazy plan Em. It'll either solve all of your problems, or the whole thing will blow up in your face-"

"Thanks for the vote of confidence," Embry mumbled as Jacob's enormous russet silhouette disappeared in the foliage of the forest.

_Perfect timing,_ he mused as Kylah appeared in front of the house, bundled up for the cold and with a look of utter apprehension in her green eyes. He approached her slowly, not wanting to create any more anxiety than absolutely necessary, and wrapped his arms around her torso, letting the warmth of his body seep into hers. The tension she was carrying in her shoulders eased slightly as they fell into a comfortable pace up the mountain. She remained unnaturally silent the whole way.

_Meet a wolf. Meet a wolf? __**Meet **__a frickin' wolf? What am I? Crazy? I must have a suicidal death wish. _In the silence, Kylah was dealing with her inner turmoil about the confrontation to come.

_I trust Embry. He wouldn't do anything to hurt me… unless… this whole thing is an elaborate scheme to lure me up in the mountains and-_

"We're nearly there." Embry's voice cut through the disastrous train wreck of thoughts going through Kai's mind and once again, her body was relaxed. It was something about his voice, his presence, his _everything _that just called to her. It was off-putting at the same time. She never expected to have such a strong reaction to some boy, let alone a boy she'd only known for a few short months.

Kylah sighed. It was a conundrum she faced every day. The way she constantly thought about him, the way her mind, body and soul succumbed to his being like a drug. It wasn't natural. And the worst part was, she should've cared… but she didn't. She loved him.

_Yeah, that's just what an 18 year old guy needs to hear from a girl he just started dating. He'll run for the hills if I let that one slip. It just totally sucks! I want him to know how I feel, but what if he doesn't say it back? _

Sucking in a huge gulp of air, Kylah readied herself as the clearing came. She'd barely noticed their ascent since her train of thought caused her mind to wander off the subject at hand.

"Okay… let's just do it." Kai nodded the ok to Embry who led her begrudgingly out into the field, her breath coming out in huge pants as she scanned the edge of the forest for any possible movement. "Oh, look, no one's here! Better luck next time! Let's go-"

"Close your eyes," Embry demanded, pulling her gently to his chest and using his free hand to stroke her neck comfortingly. She didn't notice the sweat beading on his forehead as the confrontation crept closer.

_No, no, NO. No backing out now. This __**is **__a good plan. Even if she screams and hates wolves, well… at least she won't hate me… as __**much**__ as she hates the wolf. And that's Jake. It's okay if she hates Jake. _Whew.

Kylah swallowed hard, but closed her eyes tight. When _was _she going to tell him how she felt? Now? Never? The way he was holding her gave her every confidence in her feelings. It was just _his _feelings she was worried about. He'd taken her up to the mountain, they were all alone, holding one another in the beauty of nature. Maybe now was the best time to spill her guts.

"Embry I-"

Just as she was about to let the dreaded words slip from her lips, Embry slipped out of her embrace and she opened her eyes suddenly to see what the deal was. And she nearly fainted. A silent scream gripped her throat as she stared into the enormous brown eyes of a giant, rust colored wolf.

She didn't cry out, she didn't move, she just pulled her arms to her sides and shook violently. Her field of vision was narrowed in on the beast who looked too impossibly large to be real. And where the fuck was Embry anyway? He was supposed to help her face her fears, not leave her there for her fears to consume her… literally.

"Told you there were giant wolves."

Kai shrieked and jumped out of her skin as Embry came up behind her and grabbed her arms for support. He was even smiling. _Smiling. _

"W-what're you so damn happy about?" She hissed, clenching her hands into fists and throwing a glare at the bored looking beast in front of her.

"I said trust me, and I promise you won't regret it," he continued, laughing as he approached Jake's left side and ran a hand through his fur. The alpha appeared to roll his eyes and looked back at his friend's imprint to gauge her reaction.

"You never swear," Embry reminded her as he patted the wolf's side and finally threw an arm over its back.

"What are you _doing? _Get away from that thing!" Kylah's voice came out high pitched and raspy and she silently hoped that the whole ordeal was some sort of terrible nightmare. But the worst part was, that just like in a nightmare, nothing was as it seemed, and this wolf, did not seem like it wanted to hurt anyone. It actually appeared quite docile.

"Is this some sort of prank? Like… what is going on?" She asked, more to herself than Embry who was now eyeing her like a hawk as her demeanor suddenly changed from chillingly still and terrified, to calmly confident. She cautiously stepped forward toward Jake with a renowned curiosity that had previously seemed out of reach.

"This is too weird," she whispered, stretching out her hand toward the creature's face, hoping, praying that it didn't bite her arm off. And it didn't. Instead, it pressed it's surprisingly soft muzzle into her touch. Almost… affectionately. Like it wasn't trying to scare her, or intimidate her.

"Em… what is this thing?"

Embry had remained silent up until this point. He'd wanted her to sort of figure her own way around Jake but now he was facing some hard decisions.

"We call him Jake." Embry watched Kai's face intently. She smiled and then stepped up to the wolf's side beside Jake and crossed her arms.

"Jake? Did you name him that, or did _Jake _name him that?" For once, Embry didn't really want to reply. He was reveling in the fact that she was cracking jokes around the thing that up until a few moments ago, he'd deemed her worst fear. It was good, not good, it was great… just unexpected.

"Well… it _is _Jake." An odd silence fell as Kylah narrowed her gaze, peeling off her glove and running her fingers through Jake's fur, as if to test whether it was truly real or not.

"Haha, like, Jake from the bonfire? I don't think so-" Kai laughed before the wolf turned its great head sharply around to catch her gaze. She jumped before realizing why it had done it. "No way, nuh-uh. I don't believe that for one second," she continued, trying to laugh off her confusion as the wolf Jake continued to stare at her quizzically.

"I can accept that there is a huge, seemingly sweet, giant circus freak wolf in front of me, but no. Not that this wolf is Jacob Black." This time, the wolf sat down and stared at her matter-of-factly. With no response from Embry, Kylah collapsed on the dead grass stunned. She ran a hand over her hat and pulled it from her head as she shook it back and forth in disbelief.

"He's a werewolf."

Now concern replaced disbelief in Kylah's gaze, but Embry was committed. She would hear the truth, right now.

"And so am I."

* * *

It had been seven days since the mountains. Seven days since Kylah had said a word to Embry, or anyone for that mattered. Sure the wolf had been tame… ish, but that didn't mean that werewolves could exist, could it? Kylah had stewed on that meeting for a week with no answer to her questions, and the one person who did have answers well… he was either a lunatic, or an extremely dangerous magical being. Either way, she wasn't sure she was ready to talk to him yet.

But the feelings remained the same. The longer she was away from him, the more her heart yearned for his company. Every time she pictured him as a wolf, she didn't perish the thought. She wanted him in her life, even if he did have fur and fangs.

Embry however, had been a nervous, moping wreck. The whole pack had congratulated him on finding his soul mate however, none of them had any words of advice on how to proceed. Jake cheered him on, and Sam encouraged communication, but Kai wasn't answering her phone. Her parents had let him know she'd be taking rides from her friend, but they didn't disclose how long. And seven days seemed like an eternity when uncertainty loomed about the fate of you and the person you're supposed to spend the rest of your life with.

After school on the eighth day, Embry drove out to the beach. He watched the horizon until the sun had sunk beneath it. Then he waited and hoped his soul mate would come to him, feel him calling… but just like all those times before, no one ever came. And the one woman who _did _show up wasn't even speaking to him.

"Wanna go for a walk?" Embry nearly jumped off the park bench he'd been brooding on when he heard Kai's voice from behind him. Strands of her wavy brown hair were whipping out of her ponytail as he tried to capture her unsure gaze.

"Yeah, sure." _Real smooth_, Embry chided himself mentally as he walked beside his imprint into the envelopment of the trees. Soon, the sounds of the waves were long behind them.

Minutes passed that seemed to stretch on and on in Embry's mind. What did she want? Why was she here? Was it a good thing? Or a bad thing? She was still silent. It was frustrating, but he didn't dare question her. He merely glanced occasionally down as she fingered that damn locket. The locket that started everything.

Kylah wound the thick chain around her thumb as they descended deeper and deeper into the woods. Her heart was shattering at the sight of the poor, confused man beside her. He surely had no idea of her intentions, and she couldn't bear to hurt him any longer.

"Okay, here is good." Embry blinked at her.

"Good for what?" Kylah crossed her arms and stamped her feet to get warm before throwing a challenge his way.

"If you're a werewolf… then prove it. I wanna see."

Kai felt like a complete idiot. She couldn't believe she'd just told a nearly grown man to turn into a werewolf. It sounded completely far-fetched and fanatical… until he told her to close her eyes.

"You're not going to disappear, are you?" she asked him almost jokingly. At the same time however, she was deathly afraid of the coming moments. What if he was a werewolf? What would that mean?

"Well… sort of."

When Kylah snapped her eyes open again, her heart nearly stopped beating in her chest as she saw the familiar form of Embry morph into an enormous, fang-bearing beast, whose legs alone almost surpassed her shoulders.

"Oh my God," she whispered. The wolf before her was Embry. There was no doubt about it now. He was what he said. But still… what would it mean? "You're… you're huge!" she choked out, reaching out and grabbing fistfuls of his light brown fur to support herself. The shock alone was turning her knees to jello.

And she continued to grasp his fur tightly, leaning her body against his just to reassure herself that he was real. Her boyfriend, her _love_… was a werewolf.

"You _are _a werewolf," Kai whispered to him. Embry swiveled his head around to look at her, and when she looked into his eyes, she knew it was the same man she'd met on the beach two months ago. And even in that moment, when it seemed nearly impossible to accept him as he was… she couldn't help herself from telling him what she'd wanted him to know for over a week.

"I love you. So much." She wrapped her arms around his neck and held him to her, his soft fur pressing gently against her cheek. She felt an odd sensation though, as the fur seemed to melt away and give way to real human flesh beneath her fingers. When she looked up, Embry was glancing down at her, a smile lighting up his face.

He didn't say anything, but merely leaned down and sealed his affection with a kiss. Nothing too brash or hard, but it felt so good to have her near him once again. She was holding him close, her eyes fluttering shut as she reveled in the taste and feel of his mouth on hers. Her scent was sweet, so close to his sensitive nose and he picked up the familiar traces of lilac and English breakfast tea that he'd so missed in her absence.

It wasn't until she pulled away that Embry even noticed anything was wrong. It was only Kylah's face that gave any indication. It was beat red, staring down at him with a mortified, and slightly guilty expression. She immediately turned away before he noticed her staring at his nude form for too much longer.

"Yeah, that sometimes happens. Sorry about that," he laughed. He however, had no regrets that Kai had gotten an eyeful. Hopefully it gave her some ideas about her prospects for the future. And it actually did. While Kylah peeled off layers of her own protective clothing, she hastily replayed the scene in her mind until it was burned in her brain. The view was one she'd like to see again, perhaps at a later time in their relationship, however. One step at a time. It was comical though, to see Embry wearing a blue North Face jacket like a sarong around his waist. Kylah still couldn't stop blushing.

First, however, she had to deal with the werewolf baggage. Then they could talk about sex.

As they walked back down towards Embry's car, Kylah's head was swimming with all the raw information Embry was now sharing with her, but in her mind, there was one burning question she needed answered.

"So… how many people know about this?" she asked a little hesitantly. For the most part, she was pretty sure the wolf trait was limited to a few select individuals.

"Well, the whole pack is me, Jake, Sam, Quil, Paul, Jared, Seth, Collin, Brady and Leah, then, pretty much all their families know, and well, that's pretty much it!" _Except for their imprints,_ Embry thought a bit dismally. He couldn't tell her yet. It was a huge step to reveal to someone that they are tied to one person (with no choice in the matter) for an eternity. Though I guess that was a perk. The wolves lived forever, and so did their mates-

"You zoned out again," Kylah commented squeezing Embry's hand as they walked toward his car on the beach. "I guess this is your stop," she whispered, rocking back and forth on her heels and leaning back against the driver side door to prevent their parting for a little longer.

Embry didn't need to be told what to do. His warm hands found their way into her now loose hair and pressed them both up against the side of the car, her small body molding perfectly against his. His tongue found its way inside her mouth, tasting her, feeling her own tongue pressing wildly against his in the passion of the moment. Kylah loved the feel of his superheated bear skin under her hands, and her fingers grazed their way from his shoulders all the way down to his hipbones where her jacket was secured to cover him up.

After the kiss, Kylah pulled away panting from the heat overtaking her from her head to the tips of her toes. It was a feeling like none other, and she couldn't wait to feel it again… later. The sun was now set in the forest, and although wolves howled into the night, she was no longer afraid.

"Well, um, I guess I should get going," she said finally, pulling out of her werewolf's embrace and heading towards her own vehicle on the waterfront.

"I guess so. See you tomorrow?" His warm eyes shined with a renewed hopefulness.

"Yeah, as long as you promise me that there aren't any more surprises in store! No zombies or vampires, right?" Embry's face dropped, and there was a brief silence before Kylah laughed.

"I'm just kidding! I know they don't exist!" she laughed, waving a sweet goodbye to him before climbing into her car and vanishing down the gravel drive.

_No vampires that you need to know about,_ Embry sighed. A smile spread on his face as he gazed over the water however. Sure, a lot more things were going to need to be explained, but he was ready, and more importantly, _she _was ready. He remembered a night, just a few months ago when he wouldn't have dreamed to feel hope.

But he'd found his somebody, and life was alright now.

* * *

Okay, that's the end! Hope everyone likes it! I started writing this like, two months ago, so yeah, once again, my commitment issues are ever prevalent. Anyway, please review and tell me what you think, liked, didn't like etc. I'm thinking about doing a Seth/OC, but I haven't quite wrapped my head around it yet. I just started college now and I'm so busy all the time! It's shocking!

Review please!

~DMar


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